NetScout Announces Launch of Independent User Group for nGenius Performance Management Customers

11 Jun 2002

New Forum Will Connect Leaders in Corporate Networking and Support Exchange of Innovative Practices Using nGenius

WESTFORD, Mass., June 11 -- NetScout Systems (Nasdaq: NTCT) announced today the launch of a new independent user group for NetScout's nGenius(TM) performance management products. The NetScout Forum for Users (nFuse) will connect the growing worldwide community of NetScout users and help them leverage the superior information that the nGenius Performance Management System delivers for managing the performance and costs of complex, mission-critical networks. This forum of leaders in corporate networking will foster valuable discussions surrounding the challenges, innovations and best practices emerging within the expanding field of network performance management. The first annual nFuse conference will be held in November 2002, in Newport, Rhode Island.

"The subject of network performance management is particularly relevant now. Sharing best practices and experience through a professional forum of users allows enterprises to address emerging challenges more efficiently, perfect skills and improve network performance," said Debra Curtis, research director, Network and Systems Management for Gartner. "Performance management enables enterprises to leverage their resources further and deploy their e- business initiatives with less risk-through reduction of downtime, faults and network slowdowns," continued Curtis.

NetScout's 3000-plus, worldwide user community is drawn from all types of industry sectors. They lead the market in the development of strategic networks and the deployment of new technologies for competitive advantage. Their networks drive significant portions of their overall business, including large revenue streams derived through e-business. Their networks are highly complex, with low-to-no tolerance for performance degradations and downtime.

nFuse will be led by an independent board of directors that represents the worldwide user community. William Thompson, senior network engineer at Genuity, has been appointed the first chairman of nFuse. "There is tremendous untapped knowledge among NetScout users," said Thompson. "Many are pioneering complex, often global IT infrastructures and must execute significant network management agendas. Through nFuse, this knowledge can be channeled into best practices for attaining efficiency and service goals for these environments."

The nGenius Performance Management System provides comprehensive real-time and historical views of the full breadth of network activity. Its high quality performance information enables IT organizations to proactively reduce the business risks associated with performance degradations and downtime. Its superior views into end user behavior and asset utilization enable tighter capacity planning and more effective communications surrounding service level management. nGenius users realize significant payback from using nGenius for their network planning and troubleshooting-with savings into the millions.

"Since the company's inception, we have valued having close relationships with our customers," said Anil Singhal, president and chief executive officer for NetScout Systems. "These close relationships have allowed us to deliver higher quality, more relevant solutions for our customers. The formation of nFuse helps us extend these strong relationships to a larger community of customers from around the globe, as we enter our next stage of growth."

About nFuse

nFuse (NetScout Forum for Users) is a company-sponsored, customer-led group that focuses on the best use of NetScout products, worldwide. It assists NetScout users with maximizing the benefits of their nGenius solutions to manage the performance and costs of their mission-critical networks. nFuse offers discussion groups, educational seminars and technical briefs, as well as a Web-based exchange of information and events. To join nFuse, go to http://www.nfuseforum.com and register. nFuse is free for all current users of NetScout products.

About NetScout Systems

NetScout Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTCT) is the market leader and pioneer of integrated network performance management solutions for leading enterprises and service providers worldwide. NetScout serves the Global 5000 and counts among its customers ArvinMeritor, Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, Cable and Wireless, Cisco Systems, China Telecom, Fidelity Investments, Getronics, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Hold Brothers, Nextel Communications, Northwest Airlines, Optimus Telecommunications, Samsung SDS, Siemens Health Services Corporation, StarBand Communications, Travelocity.com, Visa International and Wachovia Bank. NetScout's solutions are offered through its nGenius(TM) Performance Management System, an integrated suite of advanced monitoring and reporting applications that draw on the rich performance data generated by NetScout's real-time, application-aware probes, advanced intelligent software agents and network devices. The nGenius System helps organizations increase their return on infrastructure investments by optimizing the performance of their network, applications and content. NetScout is headquartered in Westford, Massachusetts and has approximately 360 employees, with offices in North America, Europe and Asia. Further information about the company is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.netscout.com.

NetScout is a registered trademark, and the NetScout logo, nGenius, nGenius Performance Manager, nGenius Real-Time Monitor, nGenius Capacity Planner, nGenius Application Service Level Manager, and nGenius Probe are trademarks of NetScout Systems, Inc.

     For Further Information:

     Peggy Flynn              Dawn Sullivan or John Moran
     NetScout Systems         Schwartz Communications, Inc.
     (978) 614-4162           (781) 684-0770
     flynnp@netscout.com      netscout@schwartz-pr.com